Such robots drive elongate flexible medical members. A typical example of an elongate flexible medical member is for example a catheter. Such a catheter has to be introduced into an anatomical duct of a patient, and therefore must be relatively flexible. The end of the catheter must also reach an internal organ of the patient, the catheter must therefore be relatively elongate. Other examples of elongate flexible medical members are for example a guide, which is of lesser diameter, and generally arranged inside the catheter, at least inside the body of the patient, and whereon the latter slides, or an interventional catheter, also arranged inside the catheter, and of which the end provides a certain medical function such as a medical tool (clip, balloon, etc.).
The insertion of such catheters is generally monitored with X-rays. This results in a certain irradiation of the doctor practicing such insertions repeatedly.
Efforts have been made to robotise this insertion. EP 1 792 638 describes an example of such efforts. As such, the manipulation of the catheter is provided by the robot, which is remotely controlled by the doctor, still under X-ray guidance, but in a non-radiated room.
EP 1 792 368 describes a system wherein a dedicated drive module manages both the translation and the rotation of the guide. Another dedicated drive module manages both the translation and the rotation of the catheter. WO 2014/096,731 and EP 2 567 670 present improvements of this architecture.
Although the robot shown hereinabove provides entire satisfaction, it is still sought to simplify the design. Indeed, it is sought to limit as much as possible the mechanisms that come into play in the robotisation, mainly for reasons of safety for the patient (minimisation of the risk of a breakdown).
In another sector of activity, so called electrophysiology catheters are implemented. US 2011/130,718 and US 2013/172,713 are two examples of such realisations. These electrophysiology catheters are complex systems that require remote actuation (operation of a tool at the end of the electrophysiology catheter or bending of the head of the electrophysiology catheter). This results in that the control mechanism is very complex, in that it has to manage the displacement of the electrophysiology catheter, as well as its actuation independently of its position. As such, the issues to be resolved are different.